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4 natural ingredients for relieving acne, bites or rashes

When it comes to your skin, nature knows best. Did you know that natural face care products made from natural oils, plants, fruit acids and fruit extracts can be just as effective as their chemical-based counterparts, but are much kinder on your skin?

Whether you’re looking to relieve acne, bites or rashes, there are a few fantastic natural products that could help, as our Beauty Team explains…

1. Activated charcoal

Activated charcoal can take the sting out of bites or rashes. When applied as a paste, it draws out the poison and infection, works as an anti-inflammatory and eases pain. It deep cleans your wound, encourages new skin cells to be produced and reduces scarring.[1]

Activated charcoal is also ideal for preventing and treating face acne as it traps bacteria and dirt, allowing it to be washed away when you clean off your charcoal facial scrub or face mask. If you have combination skin or don’t want to treat your whole face, you can apply a little charcoal paste as a spot treatment or opt for charcoal nose strips.

Activated charcoal naturally removes excess oil so can help balance oily skin. To gently exfoliate, use a konjac sponge infused with charcoal. It’ll stimulate blood flow and remove black heads. After using any charcoal product your skin will be left feeling super soft, clearer and your pores should be less visible too. It’s certainly a black powder that packs a punch.[2]

2. Tea tree oil

Used by Aborigines to treat cuts and infections, tea tree essential oil is produced from the bark and leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant.[3] It’s an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory essential oil, able to break down the cell walls of bacteria. It can be used to treat many skin conditions including acne, athlete’s foot, burns, cuts, infections, cold sores, blisters and warts.[4] You can use it topically or use tea tree creams and ointments.

3. Green tea

You might be more used to drinking green tea than using it solely to relieve acne, bites and rashes, but it really can do wonders. It’s full of antimicrobial compounds[5], so is suitable for the treatment of damaged skin. It can help soothe skin that’s been sunburnt, stop gums from bleeding after dental treatment[6] and reduce your chances of having an acne breakout. [7]

4. Aloe vera

Aloe vera gel from the tropical plant of the same name has been helping people sooth burns for hundreds of years. It’s also used in the treatment of frostbite, psoriasis, cold sores, constipation as well as a wide range of other conditions. [8]